HUETTER - Back in 1996, a group of local veterans formed a Marine Corps League detachment in the Coeur d'Alene area.

The outfit needed a name - something original, a title the vets could wear with pride. The late Garth Haddock, a former Marine fighter pilot who once flew the F4U Corsair, suggested Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington as a possible namesake.

"And it was unanimously approved," recalled detachment member Kevin Gonzalez.

Boyington was the perfect choice: A Coeur d'Alene native, he commanded VMF-214 - the so-called "Black Sheep" squadron - during World War II, flying missions over the vast Pacific Theater. His pilots fought the Japanese with great valor, and the colonel received the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The name stuck, and the Marine Corps League Pappy Boyington Detachment was born. Fifteen years later the group boasts 177 members, and has grown larger than its counterpart in Spokane.

A handful of those Marines gathered on Friday morning at the I-90 rest area near Huetter. As travelers rolled through, the men passed out free coffee and cookies, chatting with anyone who stopped by.

Their brightly painted "Coffee Wagon" will remain at the Huetter stop until July 14. It will move to a Montana rest area on the east side of Lookout Pass later this summer.

The coffee campaign is dual-purpose: it raises money for the detachment (donations are gladly accepted) and gets the word out.

"Our primary focus is to let people know we're around, what we do, and hopefully recruit new members," said veteran Mike Kostur.

All Marine Corps veterans are invited to join the outfit, whether male, female, young, old or middle-aged. Navy Corpsmen who served in the Fleet Marine Force are also welcome.

In addition, Gonzalez explained, non-veterans who would like to support the detachment can join as associate members. The parents of a current Marine, for instance, are prime candidates for associate membership.

"A lot of it's a simple matter of getting together with people in your family ... 'cuz the Marines are a family," Kostur said.

The organization is all about camaraderie, the veterans said. In some instances, the social aspect of the Marine Corps League can help lessen the effects of post traumatic stress disorder.

"To a lot of degree, we can alleviate some of the bad memories," Kostur said. "There's no ex-Marines. There's only former Marines."

Detachment members are involved with many community projects. They facilitate the Toys for Tots drive during the holidays, fund-raise for scholarships, assist area veterans and send care packages to American troops overseas.

Many of the local Marine Corps Leaguers will march in the American Hero's Parade on the Fourth of July. Flags flying, they will stroll through the streets of Coeur d'Alene.

"We have a young corporal in dress blues marching us," said detachment Commandant George Minas.

The Marine's name is Ben Legaard, and he'll be the vanguard on Monday.

"He'll give the cadence for us, and be right out there," Minas added.

The Pappy Boyington Detachment meets every second Thursday of the month at the Elks Lodge on Prairie Avenue in Coeur d'Alene. For membership questions, call Duke Gaffney at 635-5225 or 818-0913.